Is Your Vehicle's Fuel Injector Clogged?
Every vehicle has a fuel injector, which will open up for a short amount of time to allow gasoline to enter the engine. Unfortunately, the fuel injector can become clogged and prevent the right amount of fuel from being used. Here are some of the symptoms of a clogged fuel injector.
Check Engine Light Turns On
Many problems with vehicles these days are identified by a check engine light on the dashboard. Unfortunately, the light alone is not enough to tell you that there is a problem with the fuel injector. You'll need to have the code read by the proper equipment, and then figure out what that code means.
A clogged fuel injector can cause many error codes related to the engine, but you'll more likely see one that indicates lean fuel conditions. This means that the engine has too much air and too little fuel. Since a clogged fuel injector is a reason that fuel could be limited, it's worth inspecting that part further. You'll also see error codes related to engine misfiring due to a lack of fuel.
Hard Start or No Start
If the fuel injector is not giving the vehicle the gasoline it needs, you could end up with a vehicle that has a hard start or doesn't start up at all. This will often happen because the fuel injector is providing a specific amount of fuel to start your vehicle. If the fuel injector is clogged, the engine is going to keep turning over until it gets enough fuel to start. If there is a clog, it's possible that the fuel injector is not providing any fuel at all and the vehicle simply won't start.
Acceleration Delay
You're likely well aware of how the vehicle feels when you accelerate. If the fuel injector is clogged, the vehicle is going to have a delay in acceleration from when you put your foot on the gas pedal. This is not only a sign of a clogged fuel injector, but it's not safe to drive a vehicle with unreliable acceleration.
Stalling
That clogged fuel injector can cause your entire vehicle to stall while you are driving. The gas pedal releases more fuel into the engine, but the fuel injector is not sending the right amount of fuel. This causes the vehicle to completely stall out while driving.
Have some symptoms that your fuel injector is not working right? Take your car to a mechanic to have the auto parts looked at.